A recent study reveals that global professional soccer is increasingly dependent on sponsorships from the gambling and cryptocurrency industries, many of which operate in legal gray areas or are entirely illegal.
The survey, initiated by "Play the Game," covers data from nine top football leagues across five continents, including the top five European leagues (Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1), as well as major leagues from India, Mexico, Nigeria, and Brazil. It found that even in countries where gambling advertising is strictly restricted or even completely banned, clubs still establish partnerships with gambling brands through overseas markets, particularly in Asia, circumventing local laws.
Soccer becomes a "showcase" for gambling and crypto brands
Jerseys, stadium barriers, broadcast ads, and even players' training gear—nearly every visible space in soccer matches is covered with logos from gambling and cryptocurrency companies. Even in places unnoticed by fans, these brands are subtly embedded. For example, Rollbit, which brands itself as a "crypto and NFT casino," has become the jersey sponsor for Southampton in the Premier League for the 2024-25 season, with its platform essentially integrating cryptocurrency exchange and gambling functions.
Countries like the UK, France, India, and Brazil have banned or blacklisted gambling companies such as 1XBet and 22Bet, but these companies have re-entered the field using crypto payments. For instance, 1XBet launched a crypto-exclusive platform, 1XBit, targeting the Asian market for illegal betting services, further exacerbating concerns about money laundering and cross-border financial crimes. United Nations data shows that up to $142 billion is laundered annually through gambling and related channels globally.
"The poorer, the more vulnerable": Poor leagues become hotspots for gambling
The Nigerian Super League is a typical example. Despite Nigeria's rich football talent and large gambling market, the local league is extremely financially deprived. The survey found that nearly all of the country's 20 top clubs with sponsors have accepted sponsorships from gambling platforms, including illegal operators. Similar situations also occur in India and Brazil, where gambling companies often disguise their ads as "news services" and collaborate with clubs to launch brands like "Wolf777 News" and "Dafanews."
Cryptocurrency "seamlessly infiltrates"
The "gambling-crypto-sponsorship" trinity model is expanding in the football world. Play the Game data shows that among the nine leagues surveyed, there are 173 gambling partnerships and 172 cryptocurrency-related sponsorships. Additionally, there are 72 sponsorships from hybrid platforms combining crypto and gambling. This trend aligns with UEFA's report: in Europe, gambling and crypto have become the main sources of jersey sponsorships.
In 2024, the Polish cryptocurrency exchange Zondacrypto sponsored clubs like Juventus and Atalanta in Serie A, increasing its Italian customer base tenfold within a few months. The US-based Kraken, after sponsoring Atlético Madrid, Leipzig, and Tottenham, also saw a 128% increase in revenue in 2024.
"Silent cooperation": How do clubs evade scrutiny?
Due to gambling facing policy scrutiny in multiple countries, many clubs choose to hide their cooperation with illegal gambling platforms. The survey found that in most clubs in La Liga and Bundesliga, the official websites do not disclose partnerships with certain Asian gambling companies like ATY, K8, Kaiyun, and AYX, but these brands frequently appear on their Asian mirror sites or offline events.
Even in Italy, where legislation bans gambling ads, clubs like Juventus and Inter Milan still have commercial dealings with several Asia-targeted illegal platforms, some even blatantly listing these partners on their official websites.
Not just gambling: Crypto sponsorships also "quietly expand"
Apart from gambling, some cryptocurrency brands also "selectively go invisible." For example, PSG's French official website does not display its crypto partner 1XBet's name, but it is prominently listed on its Spanish version. Similarly, Japan's "Brilliantcrypto" appears as a partner on PSG's overseas pages but remains invisible in France to avoid regulation.
These companies often promote their brands as legitimate businesses in unregulated countries while avoiding markets where their products cannot be launched, achieving a "domestic sales through exports" marketing purpose.
Soccer: Reduced to a marketing tool for the gambling and crypto industries?
It is concerning that while many clubs default to "silent cooperation," gambling companies and crypto platforms gain high exposure with very low thresholds. This cooperation often does not require stadium advertising or press conference returns, only allowing the brand to display the team's badge and player photos on their official website or mirror sites.
Under economic pressure, clubs tend to accept "premium" sponsorships from gambling or crypto brands. According to Baroness Brady, vice-chairman of West Ham United, gambling sponsorships are typically 40% higher than other industries, sometimes even affecting up to 20% of a club's overall revenue. For small clubs in desperate need of funds, this is almost an irresistible temptation.
Conclusion: Invisible capital is changing the face of football
As illegal gambling platforms and cryptocurrency exchanges expand globally, football clubs, in pursuit of short-term gains, are gradually being alienated into carriers for gambling and crypto marketing. These "invisible" business cooperations silently erode the purity of sports and increase the difficulty of regulation.
Can football still maintain its values of fairness, justice, and transparency? Behind the seemingly harmless brand logos, there may be more than just advertising, but a whole dark web-like economic ecosystem. And this system is quietly dictating the future direction of football.
